Executive Chef at Restaurant Panache

Louis Pacquelin

Home town: Paris, France

Restaurant description: Panache offers local cuisine with an innovative twist that focuses on locally-sourced seasonal ingredients. The wine cellar alone is worth a visit!

Awards and distinctions: Started out at Centre Alain Ducasse and honed his skills at prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants such as Plaza Athénée before crossing the Atlantic to pursue his career at Panache.

Specialty: Suckling pig and lobster

How he describes himself: Likes teamwork and prefers cuisine that is classic, flavourful, and generous. Loves to have a hand in every section of the kitchen and at every stage in food prep.

Favourite local producers and artisans: Turlo Farm and Panache’s own garden on Île d’Orléans.

Secret ingredient: Love!

Favourite local pastime: Exploring the city on foot and visiting the different neighbourhoods. Heading to a cozy bar or restaurant for a nice cold beer in enjoyable company.

Must-try dish when visiting Québec City: Cipâte, a classic recipe!

Chef-owner of Le Patriarche

Stéphane Roth

Home town: Montbéliard, France

Restaurant description: Nestled in the heart of Old Québec just steps from St. John’s Gate, Le Patriarche offers a cozy ambiance and refined décor in a gorgeous old stone house built in 1827.

Awards and distinctions: CAA/AAA Five Diamond rating

Specialty: Foie gras symphony

How he describes himself: I like combining pleasure, novelty, and creativity. I share my passion in multiples of three through my famous terroir trilogies.

Chef-owner of L’Initiale

Yvan Lebrun

Home town: Cancale, Bretagne, France

Restaurant description: L’Initiale was founded in 1998 in a centuries-old former bank building in Old Québec remarkable for its stunning architecture. High ceilings, columns, cornices, and ornate mouldings take pride of place under meticulously placed lighting. It’s a place to sit back, relax, and indulge!

Awards and distinctions: Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux (2006) and Knight of the Ordre National du Mérite Agricole (Consulate General of France, 2012). The restaurant has a Five Diamond rating in the CAA/AAA guide.

Chef-owner of Laurie Raphaël (Montréal and Québec City)

Daniel Vézina

Home town: Montréal (Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs parish), Québec

Restaurant description: Locavore dining in a contemporary setting. Laurie Raphaël takes a creative approach to its dishes, constantly reinventing them to offer a gourmet experience for the senses. The menu boasts Québec roots with unique global flavour—all with a generous helping of simplicity and respect for the ingredients used. The restaurant also offers cooking workshops and a boutique.

Awards and distinctions: Member of Ordre International des Disciples d'Auguste Escoffier (Paris, July 2011), 2001 Renaud Cyr Award (Mérite National de la Restauration et de l'Alimentation). The restaurant has a Four Diamond rating in the CAA/AAA guide.

Chef-owner of Le Saint-Amour

Jean-Luc Boulay

Home town: Marolles-les-Brault, France

Restaurant description: Le Saint-Amour plays a leading role in promoting Québec fine dining. Combining tradition and innovation, its professionals use the latest techniques to pay tribute to the finest local ingredients.

Chef at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac's Restaurant Champlain

Stéphane Modat

Home town:Perpignan, France

Restaurant description: Champlain marries a luxurious, elegant décor with sweeping views of the St. Lawrence River. It specializes in fine French and continental cuisine in an intimate setting imbued with old-world charm and offering attentive service. Only the freshest of local ingredients are on offer, combining a taste of tradition with modern sensibility and flair.

Awards and distinctions: coauthor of the cookbook Papilles et molecules. The cookbook collection Papilles pour tous!, in collaboration with François Chartier, received the "Best food and wine pairing book" award by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Specialty: Anything edible!

How he describes himself: loves the surrounding landscapes and to share with local artisans

Favourite local producers and artisans: Eumatimi farm and Société Orignal